IAU vs. GOAU
Compare and contrast key facts about iShares Gold Trust (IAU) and US Global GO GOLD and Precious Metal Miners ETF (GOAU).
IAU and GOAU are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. IAU is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the LBMA Gold Price. It was launched on Jan 21, 2005. GOAU is a passively managed fund by US Global that tracks the performance of the U.S. Global GO GOLD and Precious Metal Miners Index. It was launched on Jun 27, 2017. Both IAU and GOAU are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
IAU vs. GOAU - Performance Comparison
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IAU vs. GOAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 10.48% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -1.76% | 3.99% |
GOAU US Global GO GOLD and Precious Metal Miners ETF | 9.07% | 126.68% | 13.78% | 10.67% | -11.66% | -9.23% | 14.13% | 54.17% | -11.88% | 7.92% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IAU achieves a 10.48% return, which is significantly higher than GOAU's 9.07% return.
IAU
- 1D
- 1.72%
- 1M
- -10.66%
- YTD
- 10.48%
- 6M
- 23.05%
- 1Y
- 52.36%
- 3Y*
- 33.88%
- 5Y*
- 22.19%
- 10Y*
- 14.27%
GOAU
- 1D
- 4.64%
- 1M
- -17.24%
- YTD
- 9.07%
- 6M
- 14.84%
- 1Y
- 87.28%
- 3Y*
- 39.02%
- 5Y*
- 20.93%
- 10Y*
- —
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IAU vs. GOAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
IAU has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is lower than GOAU's 0.60% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
IAU vs. GOAU — Risk / Return Rank
IAU
GOAU
IAU vs. GOAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Gold Trust (IAU) and US Global GO GOLD and Precious Metal Miners ETF (GOAU). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
| IAU | GOAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.90 | 1.88 | +0.03 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.33 | 2.17 | +0.16 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.35 | 1.32 | +0.03 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.72 | 2.78 | -0.06 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.95 | 9.55 | +0.40 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| IAU | GOAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.90 | 1.88 | +0.03 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 1.26 | 0.58 | +0.68 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.90 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.65 | 0.50 | +0.15 |
Correlation
The correlation between IAU and GOAU is 0.75, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
IAU vs. GOAU - Dividend Comparison
IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders, while GOAU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.86%.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
GOAU US Global GO GOLD and Precious Metal Miners ETF | 0.86% | 0.94% | 2.11% | 0.99% | 1.55% | 1.28% | 0.74% | 0.16% | 0.47% | 0.27% |
Drawdowns
IAU vs. GOAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IAU drawdown since its inception was -45.14%, smaller than the maximum GOAU drawdown of -55.41%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IAU and GOAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IAU | GOAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.14% | -55.41% | +10.27% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -19.18% | -31.15% | +11.97% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -20.93% | -48.52% | +27.59% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -21.82% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -11.71% | -17.43% | +5.72% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.98% | -18.77% | +2.79% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.23% | 9.06% | -3.83% |
Volatility
IAU vs. GOAU - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Gold Trust (IAU) is 10.44%, while US Global GO GOLD and Precious Metal Miners ETF (GOAU) has a volatility of 17.04%. This indicates that IAU experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GOAU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IAU | GOAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 10.44% | 17.04% | -6.60% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 24.15% | 39.44% | -15.29% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.64% | 46.73% | -19.09% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.70% | 35.96% | -18.26% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 15.83% | 35.37% | -19.54% |